


taking out the trash

by secretlychaoticenthusiast



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 2jin if you squint, F/F, domestic hyewon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 17:10:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18743413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretlychaoticenthusiast/pseuds/secretlychaoticenthusiast
Summary: in which chaewon has noodle arms and too much pride. hyejoo accepts that.





	taking out the trash

**Author's Note:**

> tried writing something fluffy (i don't if this counts as fluff) idk how to write im sorry
> 
> all mistakes mine~

Chaewon thinks – and not for the first time tonight – about how she should have just said no. But Hyejoo asked, and it didn’t seem like a huge deal, so Chaewon just shrugged it off with a wave of her hand. _“Yeah, yeah,”_ she had muttered before Hyejoo kissed her on the cheek before going to the kitchen.

And now Chaewon had been hauling this giant ass garbage can for 15 minutes, wondering how the hell Hyejoo moves this thing twice a week. Does she do secret weight training or something?

This thing is only two inches taller Chaewon! And Hyejoo is not that much taller than her so this is just ridiculous.

Chaewon huffs and shakes out her arms. Maybe she should start paying for someone to do this. Afterall, she’s a professional idol and it wouldn’t be hurting their bank account. But then again Hyejoo becomes a cheapskate when video games are not involved.

“Come on,” Chaewon murmurs, and sets to push the garbage can down their driveway again. It’s got wheels at least, too bad it’s back heavy. Chaewon ponders on how after two years of living together this is the first time she’s ever taken out the trash. And she didn’t even lift it into the can. All she’s doing is pushing it to the front of the driveway for pickup!

Maybe this is Hyejoo’s subtle way of telling her that she needs more arm work. But that doesn’t seem right. Chaewon whines and pushes her entire body forward against the garbage can while trying to control it so it doesn’t collapse while going down the driveway. Why do they have so much damn trash anyways?

Finally, after another ten minutes of pushing, Chaewon’s got it in place. She wipes her upper lip with her sleeve and swallows. “Nothing,” she breathes out, “outdoes the great Park Chaewon.” She heaves and kicks the garbage can lightly with the tip of her toe. “Take that.”

The garbage can, as expected, does not respond.

When Chaewon comes back inside she’s covered in sweat, and Hyejoo is giving her this confuse look. She looks Chaewon up and down a few times, as if expecting an explanation. Chaewon walks past her to grab a glass of water.

“You were gone for so long,” Hyejoo says, and then teasingly, “I thought you were leaving me, Chae.”

Logically, this is were Chaewon should tell Hyejoo what happened. That she couldn’t move the garbage can. But then Chaewon thinks about how Hyejoo’s been doing this for years, and despite being together for so long and thinking about how she shouldn’t be embarrassed…it’s embarrassing.

She couldn’t move a freaking garbage can. Chaewon’s still got her pride after all!

Chaewon looks Hyejoo into eyes, and as seriously as she can muster, she says: “I went for a jog.” She downs the rest of the water before getting another full glass. To avoid further questioning – because more often than not, Hyejoo sees right through Chaewon – she says, “So how is Heejin? She’s the one who called, right?” Chaewon had been looking at her phone when Hyejoo said she was taking a call, but she thinks Hyejoo mentioned Heejin.

“She’s great! I was gonna put you on the phone with her but you went out jogging.” Hyejoo pauses, then arches a brow and gives that mischievous smile that both sets Chaewon on edge and excites her all at once – depending on the situation. “Or maybe you were just being anti-social?”

“Huh?” Chaewon turns red. “Me? Anti-social? Never!” she huffs. Damn garbage can.

Hyejoo leans in and kisses her gently on the mouth, and Chaewon is briefly thankful that her upper lip isn’t so sweaty anymore. “Good. Because she’s coming over this weekend with Hyunjin.” Hyejoo kisses her again. “Okay?”

Chaewon gives her a lazy smile that borders on smirk. “Okay,” she says, though she’s happy they’ll be coming over. “I’m gonna shower now. Because I’m sweaty. From all the, you know, uh… running. I gotta keep fit, you know?” She laughs awkwardly.

Hyejoo eyes her and for a frightening second Chaewon think she might have overplayed the whole jogging thing, but then Hyejoo kisses her again, longer. With their noses and lips still touching, and Chaewon very very flustered again from something that has nothing to do with a garbage can. Hyejoo says, “I’ll meet you in a few,” before prancing off.

Chaewon gulps and laughs to herself as she walks to the shower. Good thing she’ll probably never have to take out the garbage again.

*****

Chaewon has to take out the garbage again that weekend. And Hyejoo has said it so casually while walking into the kitchen, Chaewon couldn’t even find an excuse. Not with Heejin and Hyunjin just staring.

So now, Chaewon has a dilemma because she could barely move the garbage can down the driveway, let alone take the trash bag out of the can and haul it over. Chaewon gulps and looks around, then faces Heejin and Hyunjin. Both look at back at her, blank faced.

“What is it?” Hyunjin says after a moment of silent staring.

Chaewon’s cheeks heat up, and muttering, she says, “Help me with the trash.”

“What?” Heejin responds with a confused voice.

Chaewon swallows. “I need help with the trash, but it needs to look like I did it my own. Hyunjin!” Chaewon smiles at her.

“Huh?” Hyunjin looks around as if there is someone else named Hyunjin in the room which causes Chaewon to roll her eyes, but she quickly reverts back to her smile.

“Help me with the trash!” Chaewon enunciates every word.

“Why?”

Chaewon misses when they were in the practice room and she could pretend that this was some sort of elaborate fitness training.

Luckily, Heejin steps in. “Alright, I’ll help!” she says with a determined tightening of lips.

“I’ll help out too then.” Hyunjin shrugs, and instead of asking why Hyunjin wouldn’t help when she asked, Chaewon stands and cracks her knuckles. “Okay, the plan is to get Hyejoo out of the kitchen.”

“She’s already out of the kitchen,” Heejin says.

Chaewon looks over toward the kitchen, puzzled. “When did she leave?”

“About a minute ago.”

Chaewon runs for the trash can before waving frantically for Heejin and Hyunjin to come and help her out. Heejin grabs an end, and Chaewon grabs an end, but it’s still heavy. Thankfully Hyunjin is stronger than the both of them, so when she goes to help Heejin it lifts easily.

The three of them walk with the trash back held up, Chaewon making sure not to touch the bottom.

“So why can’t Hyejoo know?” Hyunjin asks.

Chaewon slows down for a second. “What kind of person can’t take out the garbage,” Chaewon admits softly.

“Well it isn’t like she doesn’t know you’re weak, right?” Hyunjin asks, as if it’s just an observation.

Chaewon huffs and nearly drops the bag. “I am not weak!”

They make it to the garage, and Heejin opens the door, then the garage. The sound barely muffles Hyunjin’s brief laughter. “You’re good at other things, though.” Hyunjin says.

Heejin nods at that. “Your idol career, your knowledge of Oh My Girl, your Oh My Girl collection, your-“

“Yeah,” Chaewon says, “I’m good with idol stuff. But I can’t even move a stupid garbage can.” Chaewon stops. “Oh! One of you go back before Hyejoo realizes something is up!”

Heejin blushes and smiles. “I’m not very strong either.” she says looking at Chaewon. The reflection of her specs shows a slightly, sweaty, reversed image of Chaewon.

She walks off, leaving Hyunjin and Chaewon with the garbage can. Hyunjin moves it down with ease, Chaewon following behind. “So you’ve never taken out the trash? Even when you were younger?”

Chaewon grimaces and scratches the back of her neck before giving off a nervous laugh. “Funny thing about that…”

“Don’t tell me you had your younger sister do it?” Hyunjin asks.

“No!” Chaewon gets offended at the thought. She’s even smaller than her! “I always just got the trashman to come inside when he went for collection. I mean, when my parents weren’t home to do it.” Chaewon smiles and tries to ignore the bewildered look Hyunjin is giving her.

“What are you going to do if Hyejoo keeps asking you to take out the trash and we’re not here?”

Chaewon winks. “Leave the thinking to me and my big brain!”

*****

Chaewon has no plan when Hyejoo asks her to take out the trash again. It’s just, she thought that maybe she would get lucky or something?

Chaewon stalls as Hyejoo awaits an answer.

“Uh. I can just do the dishes!”

Hyejoo frowns, the corners of her lips tilting down a little. She walks up to Chaewon and takes her hands. “Your hands are softer than mine,” she says, then leans in.

“Huh?”

“I just thought maybe you were tired of doing the dishes and getting them all pruny.”

Chaewon sighs and hangs her head. “Yeah, yeah,” she mutters. Luckily it’s in the driveway this time, but still. Pursing her lips, Chaewon takes out her phone and texts the one person who might be able to help her. Jungeun lives five, maybe three minutes away if she speeds.

_Chaewon: Hey! You gotta come over here quick. It’s an emergency_

_Jungeun: It’s nine pm_

_Chaewon: What are you 40? Come on, it’s really important_

After 7 minutes, 2 of them being extreme persuasion, Jungeun’s over. She parks on the sidewalk as asked, and walks up, her steps heavy from what is most likely annoyance.

“What?” she asks. She’s wearing her pajamas with a coat draped over. Jeez, she really was about to go to bed. How lame.

“I need help,” Chaewon says.

“You said that already.”

Chaewon clears her throat. “It’s…the trash.”

“The trash? Is something in it? Where is Hyejoo?”

“The house, but that’s not the point. I just,” Chaewon bites the inside of her lip and looks away. “Help me take it out,” she mutters.

“What?”

“Help me take it out.”

“Are you telling me you texted me to come here just so I could…take out your trash?”

Chaewon says nothing, only looks around sheepishly. After a moment of silence, she says, “You gonna help me or not?”

Jungeun glares. “I’m leaving.” She doesn’t even give Chaewon time to argue before she turns and walks away. Why couldn’t it be Jiwoo who lived super close. Jiwoo would have helped with no questions. Or Yerim. Haseul would tell Hyejoo.

16 minutes later, Chaewon has done it. Her face is slick with sweat despite the chill in the air, but the garbage can is down. She walks in with a heavy breath, and goes straight to the shower. When she comes out, Hyejoo is on the couch watching some television program. Chaewon can tell she’s not completely paying attention to it, her eyes are slightly glazed over.

“Chae,” she says when she hears the soft pad of Chaewon’s feet on the floor. “Did you go out for a jog again?”

Chaewon gulps. “Ye-yeah. What are you watching?” she asks before sitting next to Hyejoo. She lies down, exhausted, with her head on Hyejoo’s lap. Hyejoo wipes a stray hair back and smiles down at her.

“I don’t know. Something that was just on. A drama, I think.”

Chaewon yawns. “Boring.” She sinks further and lets her eyes flutter closed for just a moment. Chaewon has always felt oddly at ease when with Hyejoo. It’s like the tension in her body can relax for just a moment.

“What do you want to watch?”

Chaewon tries to think for a second, but keeps losing track of her thoughts. Hyejoo is running her hand through her hair over and over again, fingers light against her scalp. “You pick,” Chaewon says slowly. Her eyes stay closed.

Hyejoo gives a breathy laugh that turns into a slow sigh. The channel doesn’t change. “Do you remember when we first got together?” Hyejoo asks. Her voice is quiet, but the words are clear even with the buzz of the television.

“Huh?” Chaewon says, she opens her eyes. That was years ago now. Hyejoo is so weird sometimes. Chaewon blushes and thinks about how that’s one of her favorite things about Hyejoo, how she can stand out while being purposely subtle.

“You confessed,” she says. Chaewon’s cheeks get even hotter as she thinks about it.

She didn’t even mean to, or maybe she did – but it happened so fast after Hyejoo’s graduation. She was just talking and talking and talking and then it came out in this annoyed, disheveled way. And after so long of thinking Hyejoo couldn’t possibly feel the same way. Hyejoo sighs, “I was so happy, you know?” she says and chuuckles.

“You were?” Chaewon blurts out, before coughing. “I mean, of course – of course you were.” Hyejoo brings her hand down to touch Chaewon’s cheek and then her lip.

“I was so scared,” she giggles, “I don’t know if I could have said that without feeling like a burden.”

Chaewon sits up. She swallows, makes her voice firm. “You know I love you.”

Hyejoo’s hand is still on her cheek. She leans in and kisses the corner of Chaewon’s mouth. “I know,” she says before kissing Chaewon fully. Her lips, plump. Her body, soft. She tastes a little minty and Chaewon thinks that she must have brushed her teeth right after dinner. Chaewon pulls away at the clear sound of Hyejoo’s laugh.

“Hey, Chae. Why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t get the trash can down the driveway?”

Chaewon jerks so hard she falls off the couch. “What?” she says, startled, head peaking up. Hyejoo is laughing even harder now. Chaewon glares before getting up to sit on the couch again. “You knew?”

Hyejoo nods. There might be tears in her eyes. Well, at least Chaewon can say that after years of being together she can still make Hyejoo laugh. Whatever that counts for. “You never take jogs at night. I noticed when you took longer than five minutes.”

“And you didn’t help me?” Chaewon asks.

Hyejoo laughs into her hand, one brow quirked up. “Would you have let me?”

Chaewon crossed her arms and huffs. “You let poor, innocent _me_ go through all that.”

“You could have asked for help.”

Chaewon glares again before sighing. “It’s just…I thought. I-“ she stops. “Who can’t push a garbage can down a driveway?”

“You,” Hyejoo says with a short laugh. “But you do a lot of other things, yeah?” She leans in again, hand coming to cover Chaewon’s. “You’re good in Mario Kart,” she says, has. Her fingers twine with Chaewon’s. “And you’re talented.” She kisses Chaewon. “And when you really have to say something, you say it.” She’s nearly on top of Chaewon now, and Hyejoo’s body feel fuzzy and full.

Every day Chaewon thinks she feels more and more. “And y/ou’re good at other things, too.” A mischievous glint hits her eyes but then they soften once more. “So I don’t mind if you can’t carry a garbage can.”

Chaewon ducks her head. “I’m…sorry I didn’t mention it.”

“I don’t mind that either,” Hyejoo says, her lips up in a soft smile. “but you don’t have to hide things like that.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Chaewon murmurs.

“I love you.”

Chaewon smirks. “I love you too.”

 

 

 


End file.
